


The Obvious

by khorybannefin



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Flowers, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Idiots in Love, Language of Flowers, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:29:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23163283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khorybannefin/pseuds/khorybannefin
Summary: Cas has a secret admirer.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 80





	The Obvious

Author: Khorybannefin

Words: 3653

Summary: Cas has a secret admirer

Warnings: angst and fluff. Mostly fluff.

Cas worked for a small accounting firm. He was a personal assistant and damned good at his job. He had his own desk outside his boss's office and did everything he could to ensure a polite and professional atmosphere.

Until the flowers came.

The flowers started showing up in early spring. Seasonal flowers that ended up on his desk, always with an obscure note. The jonquils were beautiful sunny white and gold. Definitely reminding him that warmer weather was coming.

"I've sprung for you!" the note read. No signature. Every two weeks it was a new bouquet, with a new cheesy note. Cas started getting teased something terrible about it. Everyone knew he had a secret admirer, but if any of them knew who it was they weren't telling.

Cas himself was beginning to get frustrated. He'd called all the florists in town and none would tell him where the flowers came from. Worst of all was that his boss found it imminently amusing. 

Dean Smith was a very good CPA, and yet he always found time in his day to have lunch with Cas. He teased Cas about the flowers. It was July and the flowers had been coming for months. They'd been getting more elaborate too. This last time it wasn't a bouquet but a potted plant. A peace lily, Dean informed him, as though the tag didn't read the same thing.

"How do you know?" Cas asked suspiciously.

"My brother owns a greenhouse," Dean explained. "Peace lilies are great office plants. Easy to maintain and produce a lot of oxygen. Great air cleaners. Someone must think you're stressed."

"I *am* stressed!" Cas looked as frustrated as he felt. "I don't know where they are coming from or what the notes are supposed to mean. Here, this one says "I want a peace of your heart." They spell peace like the lily. It's a terrible pun."

"Sounds like they're trying to be cute. Maybe give you a laugh."

"I'm not laughing. I'm just perturbed." Cas sighed, picking at his Cobb salad. Dean was having the same, only with fresh jalapeno on his.

"Would you feel better If you knew who it was?" Dean asked, looking serious. Cas mumbled that he didn't know.

"Part of me wants to know, but part of me doesn't. They obviously like me. What if it's someone i can't or don't like back? Someone's heart could get broken. And I'm convinced that it's someone in the office doing it. Last month it said "congratulations on your review". No one would know that unless they worked here."

Cas was obviously having a major crisis over this. Dean wasn't sure how he could help. He wanted to, if only to ease Cas's mind. Cas seemed distraught and it was hard for him to watch. Still, at least it wasn't affecting his work.

"I'm sorry, Castiel," Dean said, using the man's full name to catch his attention. "Maybe whoever it is should back off for awhile. Give you a break."

"That might help," Cas said. "I just wish i knew how to communicate with whoever it is."

"Why don't we leave a note on your desk this time? Addressed to the secret flower person?"

Cas thought about it and agreed it was probably the best thing to try. They finished their lunches and Cas drafted a note, very politely asking the flower bandit to desist.

"Dear sir/madam," he wrote. "While i appreciate the kind gesture of your gifts you are putting me at quite the disadvantage. The attention has become uncomfortable and is affecting my work. I would ask, if you care for me, that you please suspend your gifts for the time being. Thank you. Yours truly, Castiel."

Cas left the note on his desk that evening and went home. He was plagued by anxiety over the whole thing all night long. It only got worse when he came in to find the note gone and a single white rose in its place. The card attached read: "Until i see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me."

Cas recognized the words as belonging to a particular country song that he had a fondness for. Very few people knew about it, and it only increased his curiosity about who was ultimately behind the flower shenanigans. Still, the rose was beautiful and it confirmed that the culprit had taken the note to heart, the rose a form of apology. Cas breathed a sigh of relief. 

Two weeks later there appeared no flowers on his desk. Cas had to admit that part of him was a little disappointed. Yes, he had wanted the attention to stop. He was also very flattered and had, in his own way, looked forward to what new flowers would appear next. He told as much to Dean, who seemed confused by the whole thing.

"First you don't want them, then you do. You've gotta pick one, Cas. Otherwise you're just jerking this poor guy around."

"Why do you think it's a guy?" Cas asked, curious.

"I don't," Dean replied. "Using "guy" as a generic term here. My point is, you're gonna give somebody whiplash changing your mind so suddenly."

Cas admitted that much was true. He supposed he had to consider the other persons feelings. It wasn't fair of him to tell the person off and then turn around a few weeks later and demand they continue. However, he had established that the culprit had access to his desk, possibly after hours, and he could communicate with notes. He decided to try starting a dialogue with them in the hopes of learning more about them and possibly figuring out their identity. That night he left another note on his desk.

"Dear sir/madam, I'm sorry for the abruptness of my communication the last time. You must understand i am a shy person, and such attention focused on me can be uncomfortable. I imagine you are shy as well. Tell me, out of all the flowers you've sent me, which is your favorite? Regards, Castiel."

Castiel was less nervous and more excited as he left the note on his desk that afternoon. He went home, had dinner, and went to bed still thinking about it. He woke up early that morning, his excitement too much to bear. He almost skipped his morning coffee for fear of being too jittery. 

He arrived early to the office and was delighted to find a single sunflower on his desk. The card was larger this time, an information card about sunflowers and their growing habits. Circled on the card was a fact that sunflowers, in the absence of sunlight, will turn their faces towards each other. Written out in a fine script next to it were the words "you are my sunshine". Yet another musical quote, but one that was very appropriate to the subject. Cas was thrilled. He'd found out something new about his flowery admirer.

That day at lunch he showed Dean the flower and the note, explaining what he'd done with a sense of pride. Dean seemed to understand, and was encouraging. He suggested Cas leave his own flower and note on his desk for the bandit to find this time. Maybe with an explanation of why he found the flower so attractive. Cas loved the idea.

"Your brother has a greenhouse, right? Does he sell flowers?"

"He sure does," Dean confirmed. "He has almost anything you can think of actually. Did you want to get something from him?"

Cas explained that his favorites were lilacs, but he knew they came in several colors, each representing different things. Dean said he was pretty sure Sam carried lilacs. They were actually very popular, especially in spring. They might be out of season at the moment but he'd contact Sam and see what could be done.

That afternoon a very tall man with shaggy brown hair entered the office, carrying a large bouquet of every different color of lilac there was. He met Cas at his desk, smiling and shaking his hand.

"You must be Castiel. I'm Sam. Dean's told me all about your little issue. He didn't know which type you wanted, so i brought them all."

Cas had been looking up lilacs and their meanings. He picked out white, violet, and blue. He left the pink, which was for love and passion, because he didn't want any mixed messages. He didn't know his admirer well enough. Sam thought they were good choices. Dean had said anything left over he wanted in his office, so Cas let him in, already planning his note.

"Dear admirer, i have chosen lilacs as my favorite flower and thought I'd share them with you. White lilacs symbolize purity and innocence. Violet lilacs symbolize spirituality. Blue lilacs symbolize happiness and tranquility. I'd like to send all of these things your way in the hopes that you enjoy them. Sincerely, Castiel."

The note and the lilacs were again gone the next day, but no return flower or note was in its place. Cas was disappointed. He'd really thought he was finally making a connection with his secret flower person, and he was heartbroken to find himself seemingly spurned.

"I don't understand it," he told Dean at lunch, picking apart his sandwich in his misery. "I thought we had something going, but they didn't even acknowledge me."

Dean just smiled.

"Perhaps they did and you haven't noticed yet," he said, winking and grinning. Cas was taken aback. Dean had never reacted like this before.

"What are you even talking about?" Cas asked, perturbed.

"Just keep your eyes open. You'll figure it out eventually."

Cas went back to his desk. He mulled it over all afternoon, eyeing everyone that came near his desk, suspecting everyone. In fact, he was paranoid for days, still not getting what Dean meant and becoming more and more frustrated. He finally burst into Dean's office, noticeably frazzled.

"What is it?" He cried. "What did i miss? It's driving me crazy!" 

Cas's hair was mussed from him running his hands through it and his tie was backwards. It was very unprofessional. Dean told him so as he came around the desk and pulled the man's tie straight. He nodded towards the bouquet of lilacs in a vase next to his window. It contained all the colors, even the magenta ones.

"Why did you leave out the pink ones, Cas?" Dean asked quietly. "Do you really not like me enough to wish me love?"

Castiel froze, staring at Dean in stunned silence. Dean met his eyes with a hint of red showing in his cheeks. This was such a bad idea, and he knew it. He was Cas's boss. They couldn't have a relationship, but Dean hadn't been able to resist trying, even at a distance. Cas finally broke his silence, looking around the office as though he expected to be overheard.

"You?" He whispered. "It's been you this whole time?"

Dean nodded. Cas shook his head in disbelief.

"But you're my boss! Why would you do this?"

"Because i like you. I've liked you since i first hired you. Look, i know we can't be together. Not like that. But please don't hate me. I was trying so hard to be good, but you seemed miserable not knowing. I had to tell you. Don't hate me, Cas."

Dean was honestly afraid that he'd lost their friendship. It was only confirmed when Cas looked up at him, eyes full of tears, and spoke words that utterly broke Dean's heart.

"I'm sorry,Dean. You've left me no choice. I quit. I'll be out by the end of the day."

"Oh god, Cas please!"

But Cas was gone out the office door with a whimper. He tried not to cry as he packed his things. He left Dean's appointment calendar on the desk and avoided questions from the other assistants, who were convinced that Dean had fired him for some reason. They were all angry on his behalf and he was grateful for it, but he didn't want it. He finally told them he'd quit so they'd leave Dean alone, and walked out the door blindly with his file box full of things. 

He could never go back, he knew that. But he wept for the loss. Of his job that he loved. Of his friend that he'd cared for. And mostly for the thing they could have had if only things were different. Because he did like Dean, more than a little. He just couldn't be that person for him in an office like that.

It wasn't until he got home that he realized he'd solved his own problem.

So he wasn't working for Dean anymore, and that sucked. He'd loved his job. But he could get another job. Now, however, he was stuck with the realization that without the boss/employee dynamic they were free to date each other. But how? How did Cas go about dating Dean after leaving the way he had? Cas struggled with updating his resume as he mulled it over.

The flowers.

The flowers were the cause if all this mess and the flowers would fix it. Cas got on the internet and found the number he needed. It only rang twice before Sam picked up.

"Sam, it's Cas. I need help."

"I'll say," Sam replied, relief in his voice. "I've just been on the phone with Dean for over an hour. I can't believe you just up and quit after he poured his heart out to you! That's cold, man."

"Sam, would you just shut up and listen?" Cas sighed. Sam was silent on his end of the line. "Look I'm sorry i left the way i did, but i had to, can't you see? So long as i was there we could never be together the way he wanted, the way *I* want. Understand?"

"So you're saying, since he's not your boss, now you want him?"

"I wanted him before that, but now it's actually possible. Sam, i need your help to get him back, and i need you to keep it secret from him."

Sam only had to think it over for a few seconds. Dean had been devastated on the phone. Sam had had to talk him out of drinking his feelings, and he wasn't sure he'd succeeded with that entirely, as it sounded like Dean had had a few whiskeys before calling him. Sam thought of Dean, finally with Cas, after months of courting him in secret, and couldn't help grinning.

"All right Cas. You've got a deal. Now what do you want from me?"

"First, I've looked them up, and lilies represent sincerity and devotion. Especially calla lilies. Do you happen to have any?"

Sam confirmed that he did have them. They were even in pink, which Cas thought was a perfect reflection of the pink lilacs he hadn't sent to Dean in his initial bouquet. Sam agreed to get them delivered, by someone else, and had one of his employees write the card that simply said "look me up." 

It was a reference to both the type of flower and to Cas's personal information, which Dean still had access to. Dean could call him, if he thought about it. If he didn't think about it then Cas would just keep sending him hints. He had the lilies delivered that week. 

He was job hunting so he couldn't know exactly when they'd be delivered, but he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket as he stepped in for an interview. It stopped vibrating after a second and then gave a short buzz to tell him he had voicemail. Cas was nearly certain who it was, but obviously couldn't look right then. He finished the interview, which he felt went well, despite his distraction. He went out to his car before he pulled out the phone. It wasn't Dean, and Cas's heart sank. It was Sam. What if there had been a problem? Cas opened the voicemail.

"Cas! Dude you should hear him! He's absolutely pissed! He's convinced you told someone at the office and now he's being pranked. He asked me if i knew who it was, and of course i told him i didn't, but seriously Cas he's not picking up on the hint at all! You may want to call this tactic off."

But Cas wasn't to be dissuaded. So Dean was being a diva about this. So what. Cas had dealt with this for months before Dean told him. He hadn't even figured it out for himself! So let Dean stew. It was his own fault. Besides, Cas thought it was even better this way. Once Dean figured it out he'd kick himself. 

The next bouquet was out of season, but Sam got a hold of them anyway. Snow drops. The pretty white blooms looked beautiful in the blue tissue paper. 

"How do i follow you into the unknown?" Cas put the note in the bouquet. The line was from a song in Frozen 2. Cas had been listening to the soundtrack at work while typing and Dean had made fun of him for it. Cas was a Disney fan, so sue him. He hired a bike courier and sent the flowers on their way.

They arrived at the office in great shape. The courier, being a young guy, asked the room in general where to find Dean Smith instead of just whispering to the first person that passed. He waved the bouquet in the air and there was giggling in the office. First Cas and now Dean. It was a regular office romance!

Dean came out of his office once he heard his name and blushed scarlet at seeing the flowers. He stomped over and took the bunch, retreating to his office and closing the door before reading the card. The note tickled at his memory, but he couldn't nail it down, and it vexed him. Be called Sam, frustrated anger in his voice. Sam was all laughter.

"So you got some more flowers huh? How does it feel to be admired from afar, Dean? Some of us don't get romanced like that."

"You think this is cute? This isn't cute, Sam," Dean fumed, pacing his office with the card in his hand. "And what is this message supposed to mean anyway?"

"Have you tried googling it?" Sam suggested, knowing Dean would find it if he tried. "The last card said "look me up". Did you try?"

"Look what up, Sam? What was i supposed to look up?"

"I don't know," Sam rolled his eyes at his brothers obtuseness. "The flowers maybe? Seriously though, try putting the note into Google and see what comes up."

Dean sat down at his desk. Sam could hear him laboriously hunting and pecking at the keys. Let's face it, Dean was a whiz on a number pad but he'd always had trouble typing. Finally Sam heard him hit "send" with extra oomph.

"Aha!" Dean crowed. "It's from a song. I have no idea what this is supposed to mean Sam. It's from a Disney movie about an ice queen. How does that relate to me? I don't get it!"

"Honestly, Dean, you can be so dense sometimes! Look, I've gotta go. Call me when you figure it out."

Sam hung up, with Dean looking shocked at his phone. He could not believe Sam had just said that to him! He paced his office some more, angry at Sam and at this secret person who was embarrassing him in front of his employees.

Then he stopped dead.

Embarrassed. That's what he was. And who had he embarrassed in exactly this way? Who was the Disney fan he knew? Quickly he looked up the meaning of the flowers he'd been sent. Lilies were an apology! He looked up the snow drops. They were hope, optimism, and virtue! 

He knew for sure that this was Cas. It had to be. Who else would communicate with him like this? But how did he get in touch with Cas to let him know he knew? He wracked his brain, then literally thumped his head on the desk. HR would have his contact information. He just had to ask.

Dean called downstairs and begged HR to give him Cas's phone number, citing that he had personal effects to return and that he wanted to talk to the man about coming back. The lady on the phone was very understanding, but couldn't give out private information like that. Dean ground his teeth as he hung up.

Then he got a bright idea. He went onto the job websites and started looking for personal assistants. It wasn't long before he found Cas, with his new resume, containing all of his contact information. He could have kissed himself he felt so smart! Quickly he sent Cas a text message.

"You know I hate Disney right?" The answer came back with a string of laugh emojis.

"Yeah but i don't. Let me change your mind? Come to the movies with me."

"Cas, we can't," he typed. Then he realized where his thinking was heading and finally got to where Cas had gotten weeks ago. He deleted the first part and typed a different message.

"You sure you want to date your old boss? I might give you a bad reference."

"I was the best thing that ever happened to you," Cas shot back. "You wouldn't dare."

"I might if you stand me up. Meet me at The Legacy tonight. We can see your Disney movie if you want."

"As you wish," Cas replied, knowing that Dean would get the reference from his favorite movie, the Princess Bride.

"You're definitely a pirate," Dean laughed as he texted back. "Theif of my heart."


End file.
